Detachable handle for cooking utensils.



T. C. PHELPS.

DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR COOKING UTENSILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, I915.

Pufent d Apr. 25, 1916.

WITNESSES //VVE/VTO/? ,4 TTOR/VEVS PATET @FFME THOMAS C. PHELPS, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR COOKING UTENS ILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed August 16, 1915. Serial No. 45,697.

I To all w/wm it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS C. PHELrs, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York,borough of Manhattan in the county and State of New York, haveinventedla new and Improved Detachable Handle for Cooking Utensils,- ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to culinary utensils, and has particularreference to detachable handles or bails for frying pans or othercooking utensils.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicientform of handle or bail adapted to be detachably connected to anysuitable type of frying pan, stewing kettle orthe like, the manner ofconnecting the handle to the vessel providing for the maximum stabilityand rigidity.

Another object ofthe invention isto facilitate the close nesting orpacking. of a number of different types or sizes of cooking receptaclesalong withone or more han dles therefor and also suspension devices andother implements usually employed in hunting or camping outfits. I

The foregoing-and other objects of the invention will hereinafter be.more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forminga' part of this specification in which like charactersof referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views,

. thereof illustrated are tolbe interpreted asand in which I Figure l'isa diagram indicating the purpose and manner of, operation of theinvention; Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of a frying pan fitted with myimproved detachable handle and showing the relation of the suspensiondevice thereto; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail showing one mannerof connecting that end of the bail hav- 1 mg a single hook to theutensil; Fig. 4 is a detail plan view on the line H of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 isa side elevation of a modified adaptation of the invention; and Fig. 6is a perspective view of a slight modification of the bail. The handleor bail constituting the subject matter of this inventionis preferablymade of metal wire of sufiicient body to. support the several utensilswith which it-1sadapted to be used. Obviously I do not propose tobelimited toany metal or material, and the specific design or designsthan a single one of such utensils. suspension devices, drinking cup,knives,

dle is prcivided with a plurality of hooks illustrative rather than in alimiting sense forks, spoons, etc., for such outfit may obviously becarried within the collection ,of larger-utensils. It is to be observed,furthermore, that through this invention I provide a convenient andefficient means for s5 I prefer, therefore, to

supporting a frying pan over a fire independently of the direct groundsupports, as through a flexible member or chain suspended from anysuitable overhead support, the natureof the handle providing-through itsconnections with the frying pair a suitable support therefor, preventingexcessive tipping or tilting thereof in practice.-

By way of illustration and emphasis of' I the advantages of thisinvention, I show a frying pan-having a bottom 10 and a shaljlow flaringrim 11, the bottom and rim bemg circular in plan view. The pan rim isprovided with any. suitable numberof holes 1 adjacent its upper edge forthe attachment of supporting means,- and in the views I show for thispurpose a pair of holes 12 on one side and a single hole 13 on the otherside.

14 and comprises a single hook .15 adapted to extend inwardlythrough thehole 13 and having a point 16 bearing against the inner surface of theflange 11 below the hole 13. The main portion of the handle adjacent thehook 15 lies outside of the -top of the pan and may bear against theouter periph- The'preferred form of handle is shown at ery thereofwhereby the extent of movement of the hook into or through the hole 13is limited, and when the handleis finally adjusted the pointl6 bearingagainst the .rim prevents the outward movement of the hook. At the otherside of the pan the hap shown herein as two in number, the points 18 ofwhich project inwardly through said holes 12 from the outside of the panand converge toward a point within the pan closely adjacent the rim 11,as shown at a,

Fig. 4. The hooks 17. therefore. constitute not only main supportingmeans for the pan at this end of the handle, but because of the natureof the material from which the handle is made, there is-a constanttendency "for the hooks 17 to approach each other due to the convergenceof the points thereof in connection with the elasticity ofthe hookshanks.

close to each other and 18 from the holes 12.

As indicated in dotted lines Fig. 4-, the normal tendency 1s for thehooks 17 to lie v In applying the handle to the cooking utensil, thesingle hook '15 isfirst passed through the hole 13 and then thehandle'is si-ung over, locking the, hook 15 as above set'forth, and thehooks 17 are then spread far enough to allow their points to passinwardly through the holes 12. I The handle having three points ofcontact is not subject to looseness or rattling,

and the points of contact. providing for a rigid connection preventtilting or spilling j of even the shallowest frying f'top of the handleand-midway between the pan. At the {two ends thereof I provide a seriesof notches 19 shown in this case as three in number in a closelyarranged series. The

outfit, asabove intimated, includes one or 'more suspension chains 20having a hook 21. at each end. One hook cooperates wlthany one of thenotches 19 depending upon 'the desired balance for the frying pan, and

handle 14 to a frying pan, for

surface of the handle whereby the other hook passes over the overheadsupport and is made to cooperate with any link of the chain, dependingupon the elevation desired for the cooking utensil.

In Fig. 5 I show the adaptation of the example, which has a fixed rigidhandle 23'. The handle 14 has preferably the same pair of hooks 17 atone end as is described above, and at the other end the single hook 15is passed downwardly through a hole 23 punched through the handle 23.The point 16 of this hook bears upwardly against the bottom ofthe"handle and the main portion of the hook 15"bears against the upper apositive lock between the hook and the handle 23 is effected. Thisfigure'indicates the desirability of having a plurality of notches 19because the handle 23' has a tendency to ov'erbalance the frying pan.This tendency is counteracted by placing the hook 21 in one of the sidenotches 19, as shown. It will be noted in both forms of the inventionthat the top of the utensil is left free for the direct application of alid thereto, all parts of the'handle being outside of the utensil exceptthe mere points which lie below the plane of the upper edge of the run.

lVhile it is preferable to employ a single hook at one end of the bailand two hooks at the other end, it is obvious that bails may be made asshown in Fig. 6, having two hooksor prongs at each end. 'luish it to beunderstood also that a laim lioi'eiilal'lu' nade specifying a bad.having; a pair of hooks at one end and one hook at the other end is notexclusive of a bail having a pair of h0oks at each end.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination with a utensil having a rimprovided with a. plurality of oppositely arranged holes thercthrough, ofhandle having at one end a hook passing through one of said holes and.at its other end a pair of hooks having converging points passingthrough other of said holes.

2. The combination with a pan having oppositely arranged holes in itsrun, ofa handle of resilient material having at one end a hook passinginwardly through a hole in therim at one side thereof and at the otherend a pair of hooks lying normally close together and passing through apair of rim holes at a greater distance apart than the normal distancebetween the hooks, the points of the hooks converging toward each otherwhereby, after the hooks are passed through the holes, theyautomatically lock the handle in position.

3. The combination with a. utensil having a. pair of holes on.one sideof the rim and .a single hole on the other side thereof, of a handlehaving at one end a single hook and having at its other end a pair ofho'ks adapted to pass through the pair of holes, thereby locking thesingle handle hook from movement in any direction, and providing astable connection between the handle and the utensil.

In testimony whereof I have signed my.

THOMAS C. PHELPS.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. BEELER, PHIL P D. RoLnHAUs.

